Detonator composition



July 17, 1923.

W. O. SNELLING DETONATOR COMPOSITION Original Filed June 14 'l9l9Patented July 17, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER O. snmme, OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ABSIGNOB TO TROJAN POW- DEBCOIPAHY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DETONATOB COMPOSITION.

Original application filed June 14, 1819, Serial No; 804,215. Dividedand this application filed October To all "whom it may cmwern:

Be it known that I, War/ran O. SNELLING,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Allentown, LehighCounty, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in DetonatorCom ositions (being a division of application aerial No. 304,215, filedJune 14, 1919), of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in initial detonating agents, andrefers more particularl to the preparation of detonating caps and eectric detonators having a nitrostarch explosive base.

Hitherto, the employment of nitrostarch as the explosive base indetonators and the like has been unsuccessful, owing to the fact thatthe nitrostarch, when completely confined in a detonating capsule,rapidly undergoes decomposition, the first traces of decompositionproducts actin as catalysts, and

rapidly bringing about ecompositlon of the remaining material. Suchdetonators have been incapable of withstanding storage conditions, andactual tests have shown that a temperature of 100 de rees C, for fromfive to eight hours is usua ly suflicient to bring about explosion.

I have discovered that detonating caps and electric detonators can bemade from nitrostarch, and be capable of meeting successful- 1 the moststringent storage conditions, and

t ese detonators have actually withstood temperatures higher than theaverage tomperature prevailing in" magazines, even in the tropics, formany months without diminution in strength or alteration in stability.To roduce this result I employ nitrostarch w 'ch is free fromdecomposable .4 lower nitric acid esters of starch, a method of preparinsuch nitrostarch being fully set forth and escribed in my co-pendinaplication Serial No. 454,20 filed Mare 21, 921, and to secure moresatisfactory brisauce and stability, I may admix with such nitrostarch asuitable oxidizing agent, such as potassium chlorate or ammoniumperchlorate, and a stabilizing a at such as diphenylamine, urea, ordicyan iamid. This nitrostarch I emplo as my detonator base, and inconnection t erewith I prefer to use a priming charge of a suitableprimary det- Serial No. 505,779.

onating agent such as mercury fulminate, lead azid, or the like.

As illustrating a detonator made in accordance with my invention, I mayemploy a detonator cap of the type illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical section of a detonator capmade in accordance with my invention; and Figure 2 is an enlargedperspective of the inner capsule. With reference to the drawings, thecap comprises an outer shell or capsule, 1, closed at one end, whichreceives base or main charge, and an inner capsule, 2, disposed withinthe outer capsule, 1, and containing a suitable priming charge, bothinner and outer capsules being made of copr, nickel, or other suitablematerial. The

ase or main charge comprises my nitrostarch free from decomposable lowernitric esters of starch, mixed with suitable proportions of'an oxidizinagent and a stabilizing agent if desire and the priming chargepreferably comprises mercury fulminate, lead azid, or other primarydetonating agent. To make a detonator cap having the same strength as adetonating ca of mercury fulminate of what is calle No. 6 grade, andcorresponding to a char e of one am of mercury fulminate, I pre er toemp 0y an outer'capsuleof copper, 5.60 mm. in inside diameter, and 38mm. in length. As an inner capsule I prefer to employ a capsule 5.50aim. in outside diameter and 9 mm, in length. As my priming charge 1'may employ .4 g. of a mixture of 80 arts of mercury fulminate and 20parts 0 potassium chlorate, and as my main charge I may employ .5 g. ofa mixture consisting of 80% of nitrostarch of a proximately 13%nitrogen, and free from ecomposable lower nitric acid esters of starch,15% of ammonium perchlorate, and 5% of diphenylamine. I press the chargeas indicated into my detonating capsule under a pressure of 90 kg, andunder these circumstances I obtain detonating caps which are both stableand satisfactory, will withstand-a temperature of 100 de ees C. forseveral months without explodlng, and which will withstand a temperaturehi her than the average temperature prevai ing in ma zines, even in the.tropics, for many mont with neither diminution in strength noralteration in stability.

I have found that the best results are obtained when from 70% to 90% ofnitrostarch is used with from 10% to of potassium chlorate or ammoniumperchlorate and'1% to 10% of diphenylaminc, urea, 0r dicyandiamid, but Ido not wish to be limited to any specific proportions in which thevarious elements of the explosives ma be mixed, since it is obvious thatwide latitude in this respect is allowable with minor changes in thestrength and explosive character of the detonator only, and with nodeparture from the essential features of the invention. Nor do I wish tobe limited to the particular method of preparing nitrostarch free fromdecomposable lower nitric acid esters of starch herein mentioned, sinceI have discovered that nitrostarch made by any process, if free fromdecomposable lower nitric acid esters of starch, is suitable for use inmaking stable and satisfactory detonators.

I claim: v v 1. A detonator composition comprising nitrostarch and anoxidizing agent.

2. A detonator composition comprising nitrostarch, and potassiumchlorate.

A detonator composition comprising nitrostarch, an oxidizing agent, anda stabilizing agent.

4. A 'detonator composition comprising .nitrostarch, an oxidizing agent,and diphenylamine.

5. A detonator composition comprising nitrostarch, potassium chlorate,and diphenylamine.

6, A detonator composition comprising to 90% nitrostarch, 10% to 25%potassium chlorate, and 1% to 10% diphenylamine.

WALTER O. SNELLING.

